9 Best Christmas Devotionals to Make Your Season Cheerful in 2023
Find peace and hope and remind yourself of the true meaning of Christmas with the best inspirational Christmas devotionals for Advent.
Every year on December 26 I tell myself, “Next year will be better. I’ll make Christmas more meaningful.” I’m so busy with all the things I need to do. But my heart longs for a deeper meaning to the season.
Somewhere between buying the presents, wrapping the gifts and digging for a random quarter to drop in Santa’s bucket, I lose my Christmas spirit. Every year.
I don’t like ending up on the stressed-out train every December. I think I need Scrooge’s three spirits of Christmas to pay me a visit.
Since the spirits of stressed Christmas past, overwhelmed Christmas present and I-lost-my-mind Christmas future probably aren’t coming to visit, I need a new plan.
For me, that means using my daily quiet time with God to center my heart on the true meaning of Christmas. I’ve chosen some inspirational Christmas devotionals to help me focus my heart on what really matter this Christmas.
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What is an Advent Devotional?
The word “advent” means “coming.” Advent is generally celebrated for the four weeks before Christmas. It’s a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the birth of Christ. Advent often involves lighting candles, and even times of fasting.
I’m not a part of a liturgical church, so I wasn’t familiar with Advent, and I don’t practice the rituals that come along with it. However, I think all Christians can benefit from embracing peace and hope during Christmas.
An Advent devotional is anything we can read and study that brings our heart closer to God. It prepares our heart for more than just opening gifts. It readies us to accept and open the gift that is Jesus in our hearts.
What are some good devotionals for Christmas?
The Christmas season isn’t very long–especially if you’re like me and start your celebrations after Thanksgiving. And our schedules are already packed with parties, shopping and last-minute costumes.
In my opinion, good Christmas devotionals are ones that are short and easy to read. Now, I love a devotional that’s deep and makes me dig to understand. But the truth is, at Christmas, I don’t always have the time or mental capacity for long Bible study.
While some of these Advent devotionals are shorter than others, none of them are really long. I chose these on purpose because I think we as moms don’t need to add just one more thing to our days.
We need to add something purposeful and meaningful to our busy Christmas season. And we need it in fifteen minutes or less. That’s where these daily Christmas devotionals come in!
Best Christmas Devotionals
Prepare Him Room by Susie Larson
The Christmas season that should bring us so much joy, often just fills our days with more stress. Could it be because we’re trading the peace of the season for hustle and bustle?
In her book Prepare Him Room, Susie Larson reminds us to find what matters most at Christmas. These daily devotions invite us to ponder the miracle of Christmas, and make room for Christ.
My favorite part of this book is in the daily Bible readings, which come from the book of Luke. I’ve read through the book of Luke in December for the past few years. It’s a powerful experience, since you start with Jesus’ birth at the beginning of the month. By the time Christmas rolls around, you’re reading about the crucifixion. It brings new meaning to the season.
The Characters of Christmas by Daniel Darling
This book may not actually be a devotional, but deserves a place in your Christmas reading. It reminds us what the first Christmas was really like.
You and I know the end of the Christmas story. But the people who took part had no idea they were living in a Bible story. Daniel Darling introduces us to “10 unlikely people caught up in the story of Jesus.” What was Christmas really like for Mary, Joseph, the angels, Simeon, Anna and all the others who had small roles in that miraculous time?
I guarantee, you’ll never think of the Christmas story the same way after reading this book.
The First Songs of Christmas: Meditations on Luke 1 & 2 by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
I am a huge fan of Nancy Wolgemuth. She was a way of writing that makes me reconsider everything I know–in a good way!
The First Songs of Christmas offers 31 days of reflections on the songs of Elizabeth, Mary, the angels, Zechariah and Simeon. While our Christmas season is full of music, we don’t often think of these Biblical songs.
Luke 1 and 2 are such beautiful chapters to read during December, and this book will help you contemplate them more deeply. Bring your heart to worship as you ponder what that first Christmas was like.
Short Christmas Devotionals
Unwrapping the Names of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu
At Christmas we often think of Jesus as “Emmanuel, Counselor, Prince of Peace.” But those are just a few of His names. In Unwrapping the Names of Jesus, Asheritah Ciuciu reminds us of all the things He is.
Over four weeks, you’ll study the hope, preparation, joy and love of Christmas. You’ll have a deeper understand of Who Jesus is as the Resurrection and the Life, the King of kings, the Word of God, the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life and more.
Unwrapping the Names of Jesus includes prayer suggestions, passages for further study, and ways to make Advent come to life for you and your family.
Keeping Christmas: 25 Advent Reflections on A Christmas Carol by Allison Pittman
If you love literature, Charles Dickens, or just want to try something different this year, Keeping Christmas is a fun book for you. These short daily devotions draw on lesson from the classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
Now, don’t think that these are light-hearted devotions. They are thought-provoking readings that remind us of the power of Christ to change hearts–at Christmas and all through the year.
The author recommends that you read A Christmas Carol along with this devotional. That sounds like a fun way to include your family in Advent preparations, too.
Simply Christmas: A Busy Mom’s Guide to Reclaiming the Peace of the Holidays by Tama Fortner
This might be the devotional we all need this year. If your goal is to simplify your season, and slow down and enjoy the miracles, Simply Christmas is for you.
These thirty-one daily devotions will take you all the way to the new year. Tama invites you to slow down, to forget making Christmas perfect, and focus on Christ.
As someone who has been working this year to simplify my life, I’m looking forward to this one!
Christmas Devotionals for Families
Include your whole family in your Advent preparations with these 3 fun devotionals!
The Adventure of Christmas: 25 Simple Family Devotions for December by Ed Drew
This devotional for families makes the season come alive for everyone! It’s designed to start on December 1 and go through Christmas day. Each day includes a passage to read, and questions that go along with the passage.
My favorite part of this devotional is that there are questions designated for each age group. So older kids might get a more challenging or thought-provoking question than younger kids.
Each day also has extra activities your family can participate in if you have time. The Adventure of Christmas is especially good if you have kids are hands-on learners or very active. (ahem, boys!)
A Better Than Anything Christmas: Explore How Jesus Makes Christmas Better by Barbara Reaoch
This is another really fun and interactive devotional for families. Every day has four parts: explore, explain, engage and enter in.
If your kids are already well-versed in the Christmas story, this is a way to help them go deeper. The books include questions for different age groups, interactive studies and even room to journal and doodle.
I think this would be a great asset in homeschool during December.
25 Days of the Christmas Story: An Advent Family Experience by Dr. Josh Straub and Christi Straub
If your kids are little younger this children’s advent devotional might be a better fit your you. This Christmas book focuses on one part of the Christmas story each day, from baby Jesus, to the prophet Isaiah, to the star.
Each day has a central theme and character trait. The daily reading is short, but there are optional family activities if you want to take the lessons a little deeper.
Inspirational Christmas Devotionals
The best inspirational Christmas devotional is the one that helps you find the hope and peace you crave at Christmas. Maybe you want to do a deeper study of the names of Jesus. Or, maybe the songs of Luke 1 and 2 caught your eye. Perhaps you’re ready to include the whole family in a Christmas Bible study!
This year can be a better year. You can make this Christmas meaningful, and fill your days with cheer. Start out even your busiest days spending some time in Bible study and prayer. Ask the Lord to show you how to draw closer to Him during the Christmas season. Because I promise, He wants to draw near to you, too.
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